Turkish Newspaper Suggests Greece Adopt the Turkish Pound

The Turkish newspaper Vatan has published an article which includes a rather insulting, or humorous proposal to Greece, depending on how you read it.

In the article,Vatan is practically advising Greece to adopt the Turkish pound instead of returning to the Greek drachma in an effort to overcome the financial crisis. The article can be regarded as either hilarious or clever.

The article presents the common cultural elements of the two countries, and dozens of examples of Greek and Turkish approaches on the matter of the crisis. The columnist writes, “there is a rumor lately in Greece that the country might leave the Euro and return to the Greek drachma. And I say to my Greek friends: ‘leave the Drachma in its tomb, don’t resurrect it, adopt the Turkish pound and get it over with.’ In the beginning, they may laugh and refuse. Their ego is bothered. And I tell them ‘we’ll see about that…’”

The columnist adds, “In Turkey and particularly in Istanbul, there is a Greek breeze. New taverns, ‘bouzoukia,’ restaurants with Greek menus pop up along syrtaki dance academies and Greek language schools.”

Commenting on the other side of the Aegean, the article also states “Greeks fanatically watch Turkish series, they buy Turkish furniture and eat Turkish specialties.”